Tuning In Early: Associations between Childhood Musical Exposure, Hedonia, and the Age of Musical Taste Formation

While prior research has often focused on the effects of formal musical training in early life, everyday Musical Exposure within the home environment is widespread. Yet, its role in shaping individual differences in musical reward and the development of musical taste remains underexplored. The present study aimed to investigate the contribution of musical exposure at home during childhood to musical hedonia and the age at which individuals develop a musical taste, as measured by the Music@Home-Retrospective scale, an extended version of the Barcelona Musical Reward Questionnaire, and the Musical Taste development ad-hoc questions. Our sample consisted of a total of 102 non-musicians participants, mainly from Europe and South America, aged 18 to 35 years. The results indicate that childhood musical exposure is positively correlated with musical hedonia in adulthood and negatively correlated with the age at which musical taste formation occurs. Overall, the study provides a nuanced view that not only formal musical training but also everyday musical experiences at home have a lasting impact in adulthood. Keywords: Musical Exposure, Musical Hedonia, Musical Taste Development, Social Listening Context, Child Engagement with Music.